Language learning has become the primary reason that a far from negligible number of foreigners come to the Costa del Sol each year. Málaga is in fact one of the favourite destinations in the country for studying the language of Cervantes, mainly due to the enormous opportunities that the region offers for combining training courses and cultural, leisure and entertainment activities during one’s stay in the province.

The high demand for Spanish instruction has led to the appearance of a sizable number of academies and teaching centres in various Málaga municipalities where so-called language tourists take up residence for a few weeks or months. The Costa del Sol, in contrast to other destinations that are competitors in this field, places at the disposal of these unusual travellers an attractive and unsurpassable offer that goes beyond merely satisfying the desire to learn.

It is therefore no wonder that many businesses in this field have decided to design packages that include not only courses, workshops and teaching experiences, along with lodging, but that also provide the opportunity to arrange excursions and tours, sports participation, attendance at artistic and cultural events, and the performance of leisure activities.

The centres in the province of Málaga for teaching Spanish to foreigners offer a broad array of options, with courses of all levels and formats and curricula that can be adapted to all kinds of students, without regard to their origin, social status or cultural level. As well as the lectures, which are generally combined with theoretical and practical classes, these centres organise seminars on special uses of the language, workshops, multilingual encounters, chats, discussions, cinematic forums and many other educational activities.

Most of these schools also help their students find lodging, and they can choose from different kinds of living arrangements during their stay on the Costa del Sol: in apartments for one or more occupants, in hotels, pensions and hostels or even in Spanish homes. This last option is chosen by a high percentage of language tourists, who believe that joining Málaga families is the best choice not only for coming into contact with but being participants in the customs, habits and traditions peculiar to this province of Andalusia.

The unique character of Málaga is also a key factor in attracting this category of travellers, who often choose this destination for primarily cultural reasons. It is therefore no wonder that some take advantage of their stay on the Costa del Sol to study the various flamenco disciplines, to explore the wealth of monuments in this province and neighbouring regions, or simply to take delight in this land’s varied cuisine.

The importance, however, of this class of tourist, whose profile is no longer confined to a certain age group, is also due to the fact that during their stay in Málaga and even after they have finished their training period in this province they become exceptional “ambassadors” of the Costa del Sol and by word of mouth help proclaim this destiny’s excellence in their places of origin. It is for a reason that there is general agreement in remarking on the hospitality and effortless integration into the customs and social activities of the local population provided by a place where the acquirement of a language, rather than being an arduous task of cognitive learning, becomes a delightful excuse for enjoying one’s vacations by adding a valuable personal benefit.